Rambling Review – Temple Fork Outfitters BVK 9’ 6Weight Fly Rod

Why:

Bigger water and bigger fish. I love fishing my TFO Finesse 3 weight, but when targeting bigger fish like the urban carp of Phoenix or the big redsides of the Deschutes River, I opted to try Temple Fork Outfitters new rod, the BVK.

First impressions:

The Look – Between the compression cork and the braided carbon fiber reel seat, I like the low profile look that TFO has on this fly rod. The no nonsense green thread wraps on a dark olive blank are a perfect combo. All totaled, the Temple Fork Outfitter BVK has a sleek rugged look that just screams to be taken out of the rod sock and fished.

The Weight – When I first strung up this rod I was surprised by the light weight. Compared to my 8 foot 5 weight, this new rig was considerably lighter, even with the extra length. This would come in handy on my four days on the Deschutes, when I spent 10 hours a day with a fly rod in my hand.

The Action – The Temple Fork BVK is a fast action rod, which took some getting used to for me. While I prefer a slower, softer action for the small streams, I was looking for distance and presentation in a heavier weighted rod. The BVK does not disappoint and according to TFO, this was their end goal. The BVK has plenty of backbone while being built for distance and accuracy.

Field Use:

I have had the opportunity to fish the BVK in a number of situations. Before heading up to my recent Oregon trip, I spent several different occasions fishing my local carp and bass haunts and seeing what this rod can handle. I paired the rod with a Lamson Konic reel which when seen together is like a match made in heaven. The rod was a little bit heavy for the size of bass I was catching but was a dream when it came to brownlining. I caught several good size koi on the TFO 6 weight, and no matter how many times they chose to run, the bend in the BVK protected the tippet to these big boys to the net. Casting weighted streamers was not an issue and the relative fast action turned some pretty tight loops. After spending several outings tossing heavier flies, I appreciated how accurate and responsive the BVK was when casting.

After 6 days in Oregon on the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers, I was extremely thankful to have this rod with me. On the Deschutes, this rod remained rigged as a dry fly rod.  I was throwing large salmonfly and stonefly imitations in the #4-8 range. Accuracy is key when targeting rising fish, and after a little bit of practice, I was dialed in.  While fishing the Crooked River, I tied on a double nymph rig under an indicator.  This style of fishing requires long perfect drifts with a flip at the end to bring the flies back up to the top of the run. The 9’ rod was really convenient when mending or high-sticking long drifts. In both dry fly and indicator situations, I was very happy with the performance of this rod.

Pros:

Lifetime Warranty

Fast Action

Rugged look and construction

Reasonable pricing compared to other similar rods

9’ length

Responsive and accurate casting

Cons:

No rod tube

Prognosis: I really like what Temple Fork Outfitters has done with the new BVK line. A high quality rod for a reasonable price that fishes like a dream. You owe it to yourself to at least cast one if you are in the market for a fast action rod.

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  The Temple Fork Outfitters BVK rod was purchased at a “pro” rate for the purpose of this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

The post Rambling Review – Temple Fork Outfitters BVK Fly Rod appeared first on Arizona Wanderings.

Rambling Review – Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Kreh Finesse Series 7’9” 3 weight

Why?

I first fell into fly fishing through a bubble and a fly, but shortly after, I inherited my grandfather’s old 5 weight Fenwick. After 6 months or so on Arizona’s small streams, I started looking for a small stream rod that would be up to the task of delicately presenting dry flies to hungry wild trout. With a tight budget, I read review after review looking for that perfect rod. After many suggestions, I realized that I needed to start actually picking up a different rods and trying them before buying. So, having said that, my recommendation before buying any rod is to go cast several in the same category and come to your own decision. I settled on the Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Krehl Finesse Series 7’9” 3 weight. Here is why…

First impressions and notable features:

At 7’9” the rod is relatively short and therefore makes for a great small stream rod when overhead limbs are low and tight. It does break down into four pieces and is convenient when packing for an overnighter into the wilderness or planning on taking it on a flight back to New York.  The rod comes with a TFO sock but no tube. This unfortunately forces the buyer to purchase an additional piece of equipment.

Cosmetically, I feel that the rod has a nicer finish then some of the lower end TFO rods. Although this has nothing to its fishability, I like to think that someday I can pass it on to a son or someone else who would also get enjoyment out of it and to have an appealing finish on the rod makes it a nice heirloom or gift. Having fished with it for a year now, the cork is not of the highest quality which again does not matter too much to me, but if you are looking for a work of art, keep looking.

Probably the deciding factor for me as a small stream fisherman was the lifetime warranty that accompanied the rod. Knowing how clumsy I am and the nature of the small stream, it is inevitable that an accident will occur and a quality warranty leaves me one less thing to worry about. From everything I have heard, TFO is a great company to do business with and stands by that warranty 100%. Furthermore, if you’re looking for help concerning online business, go to salterrasite.com and consult with their professional Web Designers. For more details, contact 480-273-2273.

Field use:

The Temple Fork Outfitters Finesse rod is my go-to-rod and has brought countless fish to hand. I truly enjoy fishing my TFO and believe I made the best decision in my purchase. It has a nice slow action and makes presenting a dry fly a breeze. I generally fish with a 10 to 12 foot leader for those spooky wild trout and presentations with this rod are gorgeous and delicate. This rod handles a hopper dropper set up well, but weighted buggers or bulky indicators can become cumbersome and casting is not as fun although the job will get done.

The rod bends well to small stream fish and although I have landed several fish pushing 20 inches, I gave thanks to heaven when that fish finally entered the net. I have put this fly rod through the ringer and been pleased with the results. I would not hesitate to encourage a friend to cast this rod if they were looking for a small stream dream to cast.

Pros:

Slow action = delicate dry fly presentations

Short length for low overhead

Lightweight

Appealing finish and reel seat

Lifetime Warranty

Cons:

Not the greatest quality cork

Difficult to throw heavily weighted streamers

No rod tube with purchase

Prognosis – Quality rod at a fantastic price that will not let you down…

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

The post Rambling Review – TFO Finesse Series 7’9” 3 weight appeared first on Arizona Wanderings.